Fire detection systems in prisons often incorporate wall mounted smoke detectors in each cell. To prevent tampering with the smoke detectors by inmates, the smoke detectors are generally covered by enclosures known as detector guards which are mounted to the wall around the smoke detectors. The detector guard is generally a box-like enclosure made of a heavy-duty perforated metal sheet or mesh. When mounted to the wall, the detector guard projects out from the wall, creating a risk that an inmate could injure or kill himself/herself by hanging from a belt or piece of cloth looped over the top surface of the detector guard.
The present invention provides a shield for a wall mounted smoke detector guard, or enclosure, which prevents looped items from being hung on the shield and the enclosure. The enclosure has a top surface formed of screen material. The shield includes a mounting surface or portion for mounting to a wall. A downwardly sloping surface structure extends from the mounting surface for extending above the top surface of the enclosure. The downwardly sloping surface structure has sufficient slope and length for preventing items from being hung on the shield and the enclosure while at the same time providing a direct smoke flow path therepast to the top surface of the enclosure.
In preferred embodiments, the downwardly sloping surface structure includes two downwardly angled ribs extending from opposite ends of the mounting surface. The shield is preferably formed of sheet metal with the ribs being bent at right angles relative to the mounting surface. The mounting surface is sized for mounting above the top surface of the smoke detector enclosure and for positioning the ribs against opposite sides of the enclosure for preventing the insertion of items therebetween. The ribs are sized to extend at least as far as the front surface of the enclosure and have rear ends extending below the mounting surface that are separated from the mounting surface by slots. The slots enable the ribs to be bent during manufacturing such that the rear ends may extend close to the wall when mounted for preventing the insertion of items therebetween.
The present invention also provides an enclosure system for a wall mounted smoke detector which includes an enclosure for surrounding and protecting the smoke detector. The enclosure is mounted to a wall and has a top surface formed of screen material. A shield extends above the top surface of the enclosure. The shield has a downwardly sloping surface structure that has sufficient slope and length for preventing items from being hung on the shield and the enclosure while at the same time providing a direct smoke flow path therepast to the top surface of the enclosure.
The present invention shield provides a simple and effective solution for preventing looped items from being hung from a smoke detector guard that does not interfere with the flow of smoke to the smoke detector in the event of a fire. As a result, the present invention shield does not compromise the ability of the smoke detector to detect fires.